Cyclonic storm "Phailin", classified as "very severe", is barreling towards coastal Odisha and Andhra Pradesh at wind speeds averaging 200 km per hour and is expected to hit the states around 6 pm. Some weathermen are describing it as potentially India's version of 'hurricane Katrina', one of the deadliest storms in US history.

When Cyclone Phailin strikes the coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh tomorrow evening, nearly 1.2 crore people are likely to be affected. Odisha, which faced the destruction and devastation of 1999's super-cyclone, says it is not ready to take any chances this time around. Government sources say chief minister Naveen Patnaik is overseeing the entire preparedness.